Hit the road for a "One-Tank Trip" around Southern Ontario.
Adventures worth the drive from the syndicated newspaper/web column by Jim Fox

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Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Let's eat! Winterlicious and Chinese New Year's feasts are a treat in Toronto

One-Tank Trip for
Jan. 24/15

(c) By Jim Fox

It’s time for some
good eating in Toronto during Winterlicious and a feast to mark the Chinese New
Year.

Come and get it at Winterlicious,
with “prix fixe” dining specials at 210 restaurants from Jan. 30 to Feb. 12.

This year’s 13th
annual event welcomes 25 new participants with a wide variety of cuisines.

Toula Restaurant
& Bar in the Westin Harbour Castle, taking part in Winterlicious, has
tables with a view of downtown Toronto and Lake Ontario.

Included are Haitian
and Ethiopian meals and first-timers such as America Restaurant in the Trump
International Tower; Bindia Indian Bistro; Cluny; Luckee by Susur Lee; La
Creole; and Pero Restaurant, said Anastasia Saradoc of Toronto’s Special Events
office.

Tables with a view
are also taking part such as Toula Restaurant & Bar on the 38th floor of
the Westin Harbour Castle.

It features authentic
Italian fine dining along with sky-high views of downtown Toronto and scenic
Lake Ontario.

With the largest
number of restaurants involved so far in Winterlicious, it is “strongly
recommended” to make reservations as early as possible.

Casa Loma has a
sweet-treat special event with an assortment of pastry chef miniatures during
Winterlicious.

For a tasty
preview, the list of participating restaurants and their menus is available online.

Diners can locate
and sort their potential choices by price, neighbourhood and cuisine, as well
as share their list through social media.

There are also 15 “one-of-a-kind”
ticketed events featuring some of Toronto’s “most-unique and interactive
foodie experiences.”

These are called “fantastic
cooking and dining experiences” hosted by top restaurants and chefs.

On the list is a
swanky roaring 20’s speakeasy at the Palais Royale, an historic Georgian dinner
at Campbell House and a night of bees and honey at Globe Bistro.

There’s a risotto
masterclass at the Arcadian Studio and Loft and a celebration of the black
truffle at Rosewater.

Casa Loma’s Sweet
Symphony features an assortment of pastry chef miniatures along with coffee and
teas and a performance by the Casa Loma Quartet on Feb. 1 and 8 ($30).

A counterpart to
the winter culinary series is Summerlicious, both produced by the City of Toronto.

Since the programs
began, participating restaurants have served almost five-million meals.

Gung Hei Fatt Choi

Ring in the Chinese
New Year with an authentic and lavish dinner hosted by culinary historian and
tour guide Shirley Lum.

Shirley Lum
has her latest edition of the Chinese Horoscope and treats ready for culinary
walks and dinner.

The Lunar Chinese
New Year banquet to bid adieu to the Year of the Horse and usher in the Year of
the Wooden Goat takes place on Feb. 20 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Taste of
China on Spadina Avenue.

It’s in addition to
Lum’s Taste of the World walking tours on February weekends that feature a
“behind-the-scenes” look at the preparations in the Chinese community for the New
Year.

“We will savour an
authentic communal and sumptuous feast as we celebrate the festival to end all
festivals,” Lum said of the dinner.

Traditionally restricted
to immediate family members and hosted at home, it will include 12 symbolic
dishes cooked by the matriarch.

The Lion Dance to
celebrate the Chinese New Year moves through the Dundas Street West Chinatown
in Toronto. (Jim Fox photo)

“Join us as we
embrace a growing trend – as increasing numbers of aging Chinese matriarchs
relinquish cooking the numerous courses to restaurant chefs, so they can
finally enjoy it too, Lum said.

The memorable and
intimate evening will be filled with “equal
portions of food and facts,” as Lum tells of the old and new customs, traditions
and superstitions.

Novice banquet attendees will hear
tips on how to pace themselves to enjoy the banquet to the fullest and diners
will hear the stories behind the auspicious names of the decadent dishes, she
said.Lum will also crack open her 2015 Chinese horoscope book to predict
what the New Year will bring.